HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3209        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 740

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

David T. Vieira

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying resolve:

Resolve providing for a special commission on the field of emergency management.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3209        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 740

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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Resolve providing for a special commission on the field of emergency management.

Resolved, Resolved, there is hereby established a special commission entitled the “special commission on the field of emergency management” to study and make recommendations concerning the development of the field of emergency management as a profession in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

SECTION 1.  Terminology 

Emergency [Disaster] Management: Defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), emergency management is: “The managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters.” 

Emergency Management Field: The U.S. Bureau and Labor Statistics asserts this is the profession in which plans and procedures are prepared for responding to natural disasters or other emergencies.  The field also helps to lead the response during and after emergencies.  Most emergency management professionals work for local or state governments; while others work for organizations such as hospitals, colleges and universities, or private companies. 

Professionalization: Definitions (2022) coins professionalization as, “the social process by which any trade or occupation transforms itself into a true ‘profession of the highest integrity and competence.’  This process tends to involve establishing acceptable qualifications, a professional body or association to oversee the conduct of members of the profession and some degree of demarcation of the qualified from unqualified amateurs.”

Disaster: Defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as, “An occurrence of a natural catastrophe, technological accident, or human-caused event that has resulted in severe property damage, deaths, and/or multiple injuries.”

SECTION 2.  The special commission shall consist of 21 members:

6 members of the general court, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security, or the chairs’ designees; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on Covid-19 and emergency preparedness and management, or the chairs’ designees, 1 member appointed by the house minority leader, and 1 member appointed by the senate minority leader;

the secretary of the Massachusetts executive office of public safety and security, or the secretary’s designee; 

the director of the Massachusetts emergency management agency, or the director’s designee;

two representatives from the federal emergency management agency (FEMA) appointed by the administrator of FEMA Region I; 

the colonel of the Massachusetts state police, or the colonel’s designee; 

the state fire marshal of the Massachusetts department of fire services, or the marshal’s designee;

three local emergency management directors appointed by the governor;

two representatives from academia appointed by the governor from a list of five names provided by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM);

two representatives appointed by the division of professional licensure;

two representatives appointed by the governor from a list of five names provided by the Massachusetts voluntary organizations active in disaster (VOAD); 

SECTION 3.  The special commission shall study and make recommendations relative to the following four initiatives needed for the creation and furtherance of the emergency management profession in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: 

1) Funding of directorships.  Review and report on funding options for emergency management director positions in all 351 Massachusetts communities, taking into consideration no responsibilities other than emergency management.

2) Education programs.  Review and report on recommended institutions and funding to establish emergency management programs to train emergency management associates and directors. 

3) Scholarships.  Review and report on scholarships to attend institutions of higher education specifically for emergency management programs. 

4) Licensure.  Review and report on establishing a licensure process for emergency management directors in Massachusetts that will coincide with federal and interstate licensure developments, mirroring social work and other licensed professions, for professional accountability and credibility.

SECTION 4.  The special commission shall file its final report with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security, 365 days after the date of the first meeting of the special commission.